Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The Thought of Edwin Encarnacion in Pinstripes & How Toronto Closed the Door

The New York Yankees, depending on the Brian McCann
situation and what happens with him this winter, may or may not have an “open”
slot at the DH position in 2017 and many have already begun to speculate that
the team should fill that spot with Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin
Encarnacion. Encarnacion does not fit in with the Yankees new youth movement
nor does he fit in with the team’s austerity plans presumably but if you needed
one final nail in the coffin the Toronto Blue Jays organization may have just
given it to you with the news that the team plans to extend both Jose Bautista
and Encarnacion qualifying offers after the World Series ends this season.

The Yankees as it stands right now have the 17th
overall draft pick in the upcoming 2017 MLB Draft so you have to judge any and
all potential free agent signings by that if they have draft pick compensation
attached to them. Remember, and this is probably the exception and not the rule
but it still happened so stay with me, the Yankees landed a potential Top 10 or
even Top 5 pick last year in Blake Rutherford due to signability concerns with
the 18th overall pick and there is no reason to think that
possibility doesn’t still exist for 2017 as well. Is an aging and presumably
expensive Encarnacion really worth the 17th overall pick plus
whatever contract demands that come with him?

If the Yankees planned on competing for not only a playoff
spot but potentially a World Series spot in 2017 then yes, you sacrifice the
draft pick for the one missing piece and hope for the best. The Chicago Cubs
and Cleveland Indians both did it this July acquiring Yankees relievers Andrew
Miller and Aroldis Chapman and it has seemingly worked out well for both. The
Yankees, though, are not at that level yet in their rebuild. They may compete
for a playoff spot in 2017 but only because of the Wild Card and 2nd
Wild Card. As it stands right now this is not a team that is going to make a
serious run at a World Series in 2017 so for that reason, among others
including aforementioned points about the cost of Encarnacion and the fact that
he does not fit in with the new youth movement in the Bronx, I cannot see the
Yankees inking a deal and bringing the slugger to the team.

So if the Yankees and their fans had plans and hopes of
signing Encarnacion to fill their DH and occasional first base positions the
Toronto Blue Jays may have just closed the book on the whole ordeal, and that’s
not exactly a bad thing.

Gleybor Torres is tearing up the Arizona league. Greg Bird did it in 2014 and made the jump to the majors. Sanchez did it in 2015 and made it to the majors. Torres is doing it this year. I think the Yankees should push this kid. Not all players need seasoning in the minors.

Jeff L..."Not all players need seasoning in the minors." is what I have been saying for years. The same as when fans say when a farm hand is only in A-Ball or even AA-ball he isn't worth keeping If we can trade him for a proven player.

A Note on Torres: I was able to get some tape on him, his glove is fine and his range is also but, he is much like Cano sometimes trying to show off...Mateo has a little better glove and range. If Torres can keep things going as he has he could be in the majors in 2017 yet.Look for the Yankees to trade Mateo IF Torres gets moved up or makes the trip North. They will have a lot of trouble with him if that happens...unless he took to heart what A-Rod and management has tried to make him understand about Baseball and taking one for the team blabla, blabla, blabla and etc.

Yanks wont spend money, you can bank on that, no pun intended. The elf will pick another catcher or shortstop with the 17th pick instead of addressing its true need of pitching. That's what happens when you have a former minor league hitting instructor in charge of draft and player development along with an elf that scales down buildings. Just once I would like for him to get stuck on the side of the building for an entire year